


walk my bones

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Post-Black Panther (2018), Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-05-08 20:57:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14702169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: It was hard for Shuri to wrap her head around everything Killmonger stood for.





	walk my bones

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flipflop_diva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flipflop_diva/gifts).



It took Shuri a few moments to realize that she hadn't been paying attention to the thing she was tinkering with for the last thirty minutes. She sighed as she placed it down on the counter. There was no use in trying to deny it. She was distracted and she knew why.

Her and T'Challa's long lost cousin came to Wakanda and, even though he passed away, his presence was still felt within the country. Though for Shuri, it was more of Killmonger's history that left her shaken than it was Killmonger's vengeance on both the world and Wakanda.

No, there wasn't going to be any solace in her lab today. Maybe not for quite some time and that also hurt. No matter what happened in her life, Shuri was always able to turn to tinkering and technology to distract or comfort herself. But what else was there for her? She was the heir to the throne and leader of the Wakandan Design Group. The latest advances in technology in the last few years were because of her and innovations flowed like water. Without that, she was nothing.

"I need some air," Shuri said to no one as she made her way out of her lab.

Wakanda was all she knew, she wasn't cut out for the life of a spy, and she loved her brother. There was nothing on Earth, in the _universe_ , that would cause her to betray him. So why did her uncle N'Jobu betray his brother, her father the way he did? When T'Challa told her the truth of why N'Jobu died, of why Zuri died, of why Killmonger was the way he was, Shuri wept in the privacy of her own room. This was not the legacy of Wakanda. It couldn't be.

But it was and she had to accept it.

"The view of Wakanda is the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, but now it's no longer the only sight in the world for our people," T'Challa said from behind her.

Shuri had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that she had ended up on a balcony overlooking the city. She turned around, resting her arms along the balcony's wall as she leaned back. Shuri couldn't help but search T'Challa's face, trying to see if there was anything about him that would cause her to betray him and Wakanda. There was nothing.

T'Challa stepped forward and placed a steady hand on her shoulder. "You look like you're carrying a heavy burden. What is the matter?"

She didn't want to tell him. How could she ever discuss something like this with her brother? No, that was the reason why she _should_ talk to him about this. Uncle N'Jobu kept secrets from T'Chaka and Shuri refused to follow in his path.

"I've been thinking about our uncle and how he betrayed our father. How could he do such a thing? What would possess him to go back on family and everything he stood for?" Now that the words were pouring out of her mouth, Shuri felt anger rising inside of her. "I could never do what he did to you. It's not even an option in my mind. You're my brother and I love you."

"And I love you as well. I've never had to worry about betrayal from your direction. You and I are as solid as vibranium."

There was no hesitation or doubt in T'Challa's words and Shuri rushed forward to wrap her arms around him in a hug. T'Challa's arms wrapped around her and held her tight.

"The world outside of Wakanda is harsh, especially during the time and place N'Jobu was in. His heart was in the right place, but he went astray. That won't happen to us. Mother told me that father and uncle weren't that close growing up. They weren't like you and me where we have fun and joke around with each other. You keep me humble, even before I became a king."

Shuri smiled at that. Her blunt behavior sometimes annoyed the elders, or even M'Baku, but as long as T'Challa didn't care, then neither did she.

"You'd have an ego of Bast herself if I wasn't there to keep you humble."

"You know what we both need? We should get away from the city."

The last time T'Challa had said something like that, she'd been ten years old and they ended up letting the rhinos loose throughout Wakanda. It was a fun memory that prompted her to agree with the trip. "Okay, let's go."

"Excellent, we'll go right now." T'Challa turned on his heel and Shuri's jaw dropped before a few moments later, she was hurrying after him.

"Right now? What do you mean by right _now_? I don't have anything ready!"

"We're going out into the wilderness without anything. We'll be fine." T'Challa turned his head to flash Shuri a smile, which did nothing to reassure her one bit. "I'm sure you have everything you'll need on you right now."

Sure, she always had bits of her tech on her, but that wasn't the point. Still, she trusted her brother that he knew what he was doing. It didn't take them long to reach a hovercraft and before Shuri could hop into the driver's seat, T'Challa slid into it first.

"The location is a surprise." He winked and Shuri rolled her eyes.

They flew over the city until they were flying over trees. Shuri rarely left the city, or even her lab for that matter, so she pressed her hand against the glass and stared outside. The heart of Wakanda was in its people, the land, and their vibranium. Maybe that was the trouble for their uncle and their cousin - they lost their connection to the heart of Wakanda and they became twisted because of it.

"Why are you burying our cousin in the Atlantic ocean? I know you said he asked, but you never explained why you're honoring that request," she finally asked. T'Challa told her and their mother that it had been Killmonger's request and he was going to abide by it. The burial was set for the following week and it was going to a quiet affair with just the royal family standing witness, but Shuri wasn't sure that she wanted to be there. Her emotions were conflicted like they had been with everything related to Killmonger.

"Our father was wrong in leaving him behind. He was family and because of our father's actions, we dearly paid the price. Erik should have been raised alongside us, but instead he grew up in a world of fear, anger, and betrayal. His request is a result of that world and the connection he had to it. It is the least I can do for the debt we owe him."

Shuri had been so deep inside of herself that she only now realized that T'Challa was a changed man. The mantle of king was no longer so heavy upon his shoulders.

"Brother?"

"We are going to show the world the might of Wakanda, but not the way Erik envisioned. Our strength is not in our weapons alone and with your help, we will lead Wakanda into a brighter and better future." T'Challa pressed the button for autopilot before getting to his feet. "Now let's go have our adventure. It's been awhile since our mother scolded us for doing something stupid."

"Wait, we aren't even anywhere. T'Challa!" Shuri got out of her seat and followed T'Challa towards the back of the hover craft. "T'Challa, we are not jumping out of the hover craft."

"Of course we are. How are else are we going to get to our destination?" He held out his hand towards her as he opened the hatch.

She took his hand even as she gave him a look. "We get there by landing the hover craft and walking out, not jumping out. I know that much."

"It builds character. But more importantly, it's fun. We need more fun in our lives."

They jumped out and Shuri screamed with delight as she hugged T'Challa on the way down. She never knew her uncle, but she knew her father wouldn't have done this to cheer up his sibling. In that moment, Shuri knew the answers she was seeking. Her relationship with T'Challa was solid and strong in a way that N'Jobu and T'Chaka's never was because T'Challa was, at his core, a good man who believed in the good of others. And he believed in her so wholly that she couldn't help but believe in him in return.

T'Challa extended his arm and a wire shot out towards the top of the trees. It was one of her inventions that she made after watching an old American cartoon, but the fact that T'Challa was using it made her laugh. There was no place she'd rather be than here.


End file.
